FutureOS corner

[GUNHED]

Yesterday and today I uploaded new ROMs / DSKs  and Documentation.

Mainly this is about M4 SD card support. You can now use the M4 SD card fully, also under the native Desktop. The M4 shell is still there (hotkey H or click IDE icon = mass storage icon) to select sub-directories comfortably.

BTW: If you want to browse through a lot of discs, you can use FutureOS too!
It's as easy as:
- Put in disc in drive (click at drive icon - or shift, then A-L)

For any other disc:
- Put in new disc, press hotkey D

Can't be more quick than one key! 
It's there to help and support you! 
FutureOS loves you - always! 

[GUNHED]

Yesterday I finished integration of SD card support for applications too. Than means that the CBM framework got expanded.
So all software using CBM can now use the SD card too. Examples are: ROManager, FutureTex, the Multitaster Caruh ...

Uploads will be done later, because I want to test it a bit now. 

[genesis8]

Hmm 5 years without reporting any new version of FutureOS on my web site

Where was I ?

Well sorry, it's corrected.

[GUNHED]

Hmm 5 years without reporting any new version of FutureOS on my web site

Where was I ?

Well sorry, it's corrected.

Never mind! 

In few weeks the real update will come - including all applications updated for mass storage support (M4 SD card). 

Right now I'm still doing some tests, to be sure that everything works well.

[eto]

In few weeks the real update will come

also a cartridge ROM for the Plus?

[GUNHED]

In few weeks the real update will come

also a cartridge ROM for the Plus?

Thanks for reminding me.   
That's left to be done too. 

[GUNHED]

Just a little note: 4th of October release out. Banking problem for XROMs cured. Apps updated, but few are left. The OS shall not change this year again, but the Apps shall get expanded. 

[GUNHED]

In few weeks the real update will come

also a cartridge ROM for the Plus?

Cartridges are up now. However only the 'instant start' ones. But with XROMs.
Also if you want M4 support you need to put your M4 ROM number into the CPR file by hand, except it's 5
No autostart for Wallpapers this time ;-)

It would be possible to create a kind of "Cartridge Creator" which makes your Cartridge according to your preferences and wishes. 

Is there any interest in the community?

[eto]

Is there any interest in the community?

Not sure if a creator is necessary. Imho if it's as simple as possible to use, this is helpful to give others the opportunity to try it out.  And with a CPR there's no fiddling with ROMs and ROM numbers. Just put everything that is possible into 512KB and people can just drag/drop it into RVM (or other emulators) to give it a try. 

But please no fixed wallpapers, just a clean screen. And who wants a wallpaper, can select one. 

[GUNHED]

Yes, as you suggested: This time no wallpaper is active by default.

Please everybody: Let me know if you want to have a custom cartridge - I'll make one for you. 

[eto]

I just moved houses and all my CPCs are still in boxes. As soon as my "man cave" is rebuilt, I am happy to give it a try. Looking forward. 

[GUNHED]

BTW: Found a fifth Wallpaper-ROM. Added to CPR's. 

[GUNHED]

Started to update the FutureOS homepage with Video-links now. 
Lot's of newer stuff for download in addition. 
Just in case you have some time and get curious. 

[GUNHED]

Today I did some example source for a CPC user. 
It's how to load a picture into V-RAM using FutureOS. 
Maybe it's of interest for somebody - here the DSK. 

[GUNHED]

A little extension was asked for. So I put that here too:

New source codes to load pictures in E-RAM and show then later from E-RAM. This is using memory management and quick copy (faster then LDIR) to show the picture.

Source in English: 'PIC4ERAM.MAX '
Source in German: 'BildERAM.MAX'
Assembled example: 'BildERAM.64K'

Any source examples desired? Just contact me. Pleasure to help. 

[funkheld]

Great... it works an MOD 1
I copied "Image 1" from the E-RAM to &0000 and then wrote the value 255 3x times
from &0000 (top left) and then from to &c000.

pasmo.exe is the Compiler.

Code Select Expand

ORG &9000

;Switch to screen mode 1
 LD  A,(RAMCHAR)
 SET 0,A
 RES 1,A
 LD  (RAMCHAR),A
 LD  B,&7F
 OUT (C),A
 
LD A,(REG_PC+1) ;A = Quell-Medium von dem das Hauptprogramm gestartet wurde
ld a,0 ;In diesem Beispiel wird das Medium = Laufwerk A gesetzt #########      
LD (MEDIUM),A ;Sichere Quell-Medium A..O (0-14) des zu ladenden Bildes

;Finde ein freies 16 KB E-RAM und speichere seine Daten
LD  HL,EFER ;Search free 16 KB E-RAM block
CALL ROM_A
;JR  Z,END_P    ;No free E-RAM left --> End Program
LD  (E_RAM),A  ;Store newly found target E-RAM select
LD  (XR_ERM),HL ;Store pointer to XRAM_? variable. Enables to free E-RAM later

;Lade Bild in E-RAM
LD  HL,(E_RAM)  ;Get previously found target E-RAM select
LD  (AKT_RAM),HL ;and prepare OS variable for 'Load Picture into E-RAM'
LD  DE,P_N      ;Pointer to name of picture
CALL LABIER      ;Load the picture

LD   HL,S80X25 ;Setze Bildschirm auf 80 Zeichen & 25 Zeilen
CALL ROM_A

LD  BC,(E_RAM) ;RAM Auswahl des Bildes in BC holen, BC = &7F??
OUT (C),C      ;E-RAM des Bildes von &4000 bis &7FFF einblenden

LD   HL,&4000  ;Start-Adresse des E-RAMs
LD   DE,&0000  ;Ziel-Adresse ist 0
LD   BC,&4000  ;Laenge = 16 KB
LD   IX,F_MOVE ;IX = Zeiger auf super schnelle Kopier Funktion in ROM C
CALL ROM_A2C   ;OS Funktion 'F_MOVE' aufrufen und damit das Bild kopieren

LD   BC,&7FC0 ;BC = RAM Auswahl für den Hautpspeicher
OUT  (C),C    ;Die ersten 64 KB wieder einblenden

; Hier erfolgt nur die Bildbearbeitung ab Adresse &0000, z.B. Sprite reinsetzen
; meine daten nach &0000
 ld hl,&0000
 ld a,255
 ld (hl),a
 
 inc HL
 ld a,0
 ld (hl),a
 
 inc HL
 ld a,255
 ld (hl),a
 
 inc HL
 ld a,0
 ld (hl),a
 
 inc HL
 ld a,255
 ld (hl),a 
; ende meine daten
 
LD   HL,&0000  ;Start-Adresse des Bildes ist &0000
LD   DE,&C000  ;Ziel-Adresse ist das Video-RAM ab &C000
LD   BC,&4000  ;Laenge = 16 KB
LD   IX,F_MOVE ;IX = Zeiger auf super schnelle Kopier Funktion in ROM C
CALL ROM_A2C   ;OS Funktion 'F_MOVE' aufrufen und damit das Bild kopieren

;Start des Video-RAMs ab &C000 setzen

 LD  BC,&BC0C ;CRTC Register 12
 OUT (C),C    ;selektieren
 LD  BC,&BD30 ;Wert &30 an den CRTC schicken
 OUT (C),C    ; und zwar an das zuvor selektiert Register 12

LD   HL,WATA ;Warte auf Tastendruck
CALL ROM_C

LD A,&01
LD HL,(XR_ERM) ;Read pointer to E-RAM XRAM_? variable
LD (HL),A      ;Free 16 KB E-RAM of the temporary stored picturen

LD   HL,S64X32 ;Setze Bildschirm auf 64 Zeichen und 32 Zeilen
CALL ROM_A
LD HL,TUR_E ;-> Ruecksprung zum OS
JP ROM_D

P_N  DB &00,"BILDF001SCR" ;User-Nummer + Name + Extension

;Name des Quell-Mediums des Bildes
MEDIUM DB &00

;Expansion RAM (E-RAM) Variablen
E_RAM   DW &7FC6 ;Physikalische E-RAM I/O Auswahl eines 16 KB E-RAM Blocks

XR_ERM  DW &0000 ;Zeiger auf eine XRAM_? Variable eines 16 KB E-RAM Blocks

;Bild aus E-RAM anzeigen
SHOW_PIC
LD HL,&4000  ;Source address = Begin of E-RAM
LD  DE,&C000  ;Target address = Begin of V-RAM
LD  BC,&4000  ;Length = 16 KB
LD  IX,F_MOVE ;Quick Copy OS function in ROM C
CALL ROM_A2C  ;Copy 16 KB picture from &4000 to &C000 quicker than 'LDIR'
LD  BC,&7FC0  ;Bank in Main RAM
OUT  (C),C
RET

LABIER
 LD A,&03
 LD (REG08_4),A ;Laden in E-RAM

 ;LD HL,&3F80
 ;LD (REG16_3),HL ;Ziel-Adresse ist &3F80 bei normalen 17 KB Bildern

 LD HL,&4000
 LD (REG16_3),HL ;Ziel-Adresse ist &4000 im E-RAM bei 16 KB Bildern

 LD A,(MEDIUM) ;Quell-Medium

 LD IX,LADE_N
 CALL ROM_A2C ;Lade Bild

 INC A
 JR NZ,LB_ERR ;A<>&FF --> Fehler beim Laden!

 LD BC,&FA7E
 LD A,(MO_ST)
 OUT (C),A ;Laufwerks-Motoren ausschalten

 LD BC,&7FC0
 OUT (C),C ;Bank in Main RAM

 LD A,&FF
 RET ;A = &FF --> Bild wurde erfolgreich geladen!

;Fehler beim Laden
LB_ERR
 LD BC,&FA7E
 LD A,(MO_ST)
 OUT (C),A
 LD BC,&7FC0
 OUT (C),C
 XOR A
 RET

;EQUates
AKT_RAM EQU &B84C ;RAM Variables
REG_PC  EQU &B8DA
REG08_4 EQU &B8E0
REG16_3 EQU &B8EA
MO_ST   EQU &B97F

ROM_A   EQU &FF00 ;ROMs A-M
ROM_C   EQU &FF0C
ROM_D   EQU &FF12
ROM_A2C EQU &FF2A
ROM_D2A EQU &FFBA

S64X32 EQU &D5A8 ;ROM A
S80X25 EQU &D60E
EFER   EQU &D9C1

F_MOVE EQU &C0C8 ;ROM C
WATA   EQU &FD38
LADE_N EQU &FD5C

TUR_E EQU &FE9D ;ROM D

RAMCHAR EQU &B847

[GUNHED]

Great to see your progress 

[zhulien]

Does futureOS have network support or M4 Get / Post Support yet?  And the other Network cards?

[GUNHED]

Does futureOS have network support or M4 Get / Post Support yet?  And the other Network cards?

No, there is no such thing and not planned either.
It was thought about setting up a 'place' for automatic ROM updates, but it was decided against it.

One of the reasons (of having no connection to the regular internet) is security.
Another reason is that we have mass storage to up to 32 GB, that provides you everything you can wish for.

However, if at least a few user would request internet access, then it would be put on the 'To Do' list for the next OS update in 2025. In this case it would help a lot to know what users expect exactly.

[zhulien]

Even if a full tcpip stack is not there... but just a basic httpget, httppost and httpput... then lots can be done.  3 APIs to take memory locations and send or retrieve to the url, http is fine... no need for https for cpc to open a ton of possibilities.  Ideally with the option of being synchronous or asynchronous .

[GUNHED]

Ok, but what would be the application to use it? Where could it make sense?
(Download data / DSKs / files is clear though :-))

Another thing: Is there any interest in supporting the USIfAC II mass storage? 
Or are any other mass storage devices of interest to be supported?

[eto]

One of the reasons (of having no connection to the regular internet) is security.

I'd love to set up a CPC as a honeypot for intruders and then sit there with some popcorn and see how they are getting confused when trying to make any sense out of the system they are trying to enter.

[GUNHED]

You're missing the point here. But CPC and safety is such a bit topic that it deserves its own topic. 

[eto]

that would be a good topic for your disk mag. "CPC and internet security".

[GUNHED]

that would be a good topic for your disk mag. "CPC and internet security".

Great! Please write a comment about it. And I can do a comparison to different CPC OS or even different 8 bit systems.